Often, depending on the age of your toilet, it is cheaper to replace it than repair it. Below we’ll share with you 7 tell-tale signs of when to replace a toilet in your home.

Sometimes old toilets can be just like old cars it’s cheaper to just part ways with them and either have them recycled or repurposed. Besides replacing a raggedy and inefficient toilet with a new WaterSense water saving toilet can reduce your water usage 20 – 60 percent according to the EPA.

Older toilets not only are responsible for was thousands of gallons of water unnecessarily but they also develop ugly cracks and stains over time. After we give you the information to help you decide on whether you need a new toilet we’ll even give you some option to dispose of the old one.

When to replace a Toilet

A porcelain crack in your tank or bowl– The smallest hairline crack in your toilet can create even bigger problems if not attended to immediately. If you notice puddles of water forming around the base of your toilet it may a sign that your toilet is cracked.

Keep a vigilant eye while cleaning your toilet and if you spot a crack its best to just replace the toilet and nip the problem in the bud. Sometimes the leaks can also be caused by a broken flange or bad seal and making the correct diagnosis is not always easy.

If you lack the expertise in this area its best to get a qualified plumber out to your home because prolonged water puddles on the floor can cause rotting, mildew as well as structural damage to your home.

Water waster – We’ve already touched on this one a bit but if you own a toilet from 1966 its time to upgrade. Inefficient toilets are the biggest water wasters in most homes.Up to 35% of the water you use in your home is the result of this one fixture.Those older toilets use 3.5 gallons per flush (GPF). Nowadays, the new high-efficiency toilets only use 1.28 GPF.

You could reduce your water use by 16,500 gallons or 63% each year with a low-flush or high-efficiency toilet. Unfortunately, over one-half of all U.S. home still use the older toilets.

With a new toilet, you can get great style, great design and still have the power and save money on top of it.

Rocking toilet – Sometimes a wobbling toilet is an easy fix and sometimes not. If you have a tank where there is a space between the tank and the wall what often happens it that when people lean back it break the toilet down below where the bolts are located.

If this is the case you can buy what are known as Tank Truss or Secure-A-Tank Toilet Tank Brace on Amazon for about $15 for a pack of two. This will help prevent your tank from wobbling back and forth.

Also, double check to see if the mounting bolts at the base of your toilet are loose. If they are, try to tighten them but be careful not to overtighten so you don’t crack the porcelain.

If neither of these troubleshooting methods solves the problem then you may have more serious issues such as subfloor damage that will most likely require professional help as well as requiring you to replace your toilet.

Constant clogs– Do you spend more time snaking your toilet than you do actually relieving yourself? There are many ways to unclog your toiletso we’re not saying if your toilet becomes clogged you need to replace it.

That’s like saying that you should divorce your spouse the first time you guys have a disagreement. However, what we are saying is that if your toilet requires constant plunging every week and you’re tired of dealing with the reoccurring clogs it may be time to replace it.

Comfort– Toilets have come a long way in what they are able to offer to you as a homeowner today. There’s no need to deal with an uncomfortable toilet when you could be sitting on a brand new porcelain throne that you really enjoy.

Take the Toto Smart Toilet, for example. There’s no need for you to compromise on a fixture that you are going to spend a significant amount of your life sitting on.

Remodeling or sprucing up your bathroom– The next time you’re remodeling or sprucing up the bathroom in your home consider replacing your old toilet along with the other fixtures.

It’s easier than you think and with today’s design and color choices, you’re bound to find one that fits your look. But before you go shopping you’ll need to measure the distance from the wall to the floor bolts.

If it measures 12 inches you’re in luck because you have a standard toilet.Sometimes, especially in older homes, this varies so know before you go.

Poor flush – A slow flushing toilet doesn’t mean that the bowl is plugged up or that you need to replace it. Sometimes it just means the jets under the rim of the toilet are stopped up.

These jets become clogged either with particles from the water or goo from those little blue pucks. Never put those in your toilet!If your toilet is flushing slowly remove your tank lid from your toilet and go to your overflow tube.

Take some dawn dishwashing detergent and pour that directly into the overflow tube. Let your toilet sit for five minutes and replace the tank lid. Flush your toilet and it should flush 100% better.

Disposing of an Old Toilet

Hopefully, you have a better idea of when to replace a toilet. If you have decided to buy a new toilet here are 6 ways to dispose of your old toilet.

If a plumber or handyman installed your new toilet kindly ask them if they wouldn’t mind laying your toilet to rest. They deal with old toilets all of the time and we’re sure they wouldn’t mind doing this small favor for you.

Take the old toilet to your city’s landfill or your solid waste disposal company. They will usually charge you a fee for disposing of the toilet so call ahead so there are no surprises.

Recycle the toilet at a porcelain recycling center in your area.

Contact an organization like Freecycle. They’re a non-profit organization who’s main goal is to keep items out of landfills.

Call the waste management company in your area, that handles trash pickup and see what the requirements are for a curbside pickup of your old toilet.

Contact a local charity such as Habitat for Humanity. Many times they will accept used appliances such as toilets. This is just another attempt to make sure your old toilet doesn’t end up in a landfill.